This is an unusual
CD of music for ’cello and organ played
by Sophie-Veronique Cauchefer-Choplin,
co-titulaire of St Sulpice, together
with her brother, Philippe Cauchefer,
principal ’cellist of the Orchestre
Regional de Cannes. Both play well in
a programme of French and German music
of the 19th and 20th
centuries including pieces by virtually
unknown figures such as Lucien Blin,
(grandfather of the performers), and
Dominique Rivolta, a self-taught Parisian
composer.
The organ seems particularly
well chosen, Madame Choplin is titulaire
at Saint Jean-Baptiste, in addition
to her work at St Sulpice. The Grand
Orgue and Pedal date from 1870, and
were built by Merklin, the remainder
dates from 1908, and was built by Merklin’s
successor Gutschenritter. It is a modest
three manual instrument of 28 stops,
its variety of beautiful 8’ colour renders
it entirely suitable for the accompaniment
of a ’cello. In any case it deserves
a better photo than the out-of-focus
effort on the back of the booklet.
Unfortunately the CD
is let down by poor programming. There
are simply too many ‘pretty tunes’,
too similar in style and duration to
each other, with two contemporary pieces
stuck on the end, almost as an afterthought.
In addition, building a programme around
Boëllmann’s over-played, but actually
rather uninteresting Suite Gothique,
seems misjudged, even if the idea to
have the Prière a Notre Dame
played by the ’cello is a cute one.
I find it astonishing that Madame Cauchefer-Choplin
writes that "After all Boëllmann
also wrote the beautiful ‘Variations
Symphoniques’ for cello and organ"
but then doesn’t record this completely
forgotten work! I can only assume that
this will follow on their next CD. As
the Duo are clearly not afraid to play
contemporary music, can I also request
‘In Croce’, a really effective work
for the combination by Sofia Gubaidulina?
In addition some occasional
intonation waywardness from M. Cauchefer,
(one moment especially near the beginning
of the Saint-Saëns) could easily
have been corrected with a repeat take.
It is a shame that
these small things should mar a disc
with such an original concept. That
said, there are enough beautiful sounds
here to recommend this as an attractive
‘mood-music’ CD.
Chris Bragg
Sophie-Veronique Cauchefer-Choplin, organ 
